


The New Dawn

by Windschwinge



Category: Bleach, Naruto
Genre: Crossover, Dimension Travel, F/M, Female Ichigo, Naruto is not alone, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2018-09-14 14:40:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9186659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windschwinge/pseuds/Windschwinge
Summary: Ichigo hated Kisuke with passion! Not only did his present blow up in her face, but she even found herself somewhere totally different when thesmoke cleared. Now she is stranded in Konoha with no job and no friends.Well she will just have to find a new job and make new friends, doesn't she? At least till Kisuke finds her. And while she is at that, she will make sure that the kid she found on the street is healthy and happy, even if she has to beat every last villager over the head to archive that.She will make sure that Naruto is happy and loved before she leaves.Or will she ever leave?





	1. A whole new world; with NINAJS

**Author's Note:**

> Ichigo finds that her arrival leaves somethng to be desired  
> She is not happy at all

Chapter 1: The Arrival

It started small, with a whisper here and there. Then the rumors started to bloom.  
„Did you know,“ they said „a strange woman arrived“,  
„They say she has hair burning with the color of the sun at dawn“,  
„She is weird“ they said „always scowling as if the world did her a great disservice“  
„They also say that she is very protective, just the other day she came across a man trying to force himself on a young woman and she beat him black and blue. The man lays in the hospital as we speak“  
„Is she a konuichi? I mean she must be strong to be able to beat a man like that“  
„No I heard she is a civilian, she just learned self-defense as a child to be able to protect herself and her family.“  
„Apropos where is her family? Did they arrive with her?“  
„No she came alone, but she told the shinobi guards at the gate that she was waiting for someone. They were seperated and she hoped that he would find her here.“  
„her lover?“  
„her husband?“  
„her brother maybe?“  
„I don't know“

The rumors spread and multiplied and soon there existed almost no one in Konoha that didn't know about the new addition to Konoha's population. Not that anyone could overlook her, her everlasting scowl and long orange hair had made sure of that. 

And most of these rumors where even true, not because the gossping housewives where just that good at gathering infomation, but because the woman herself had seen no sense in lying about her life. Of course she had omitted some. For one, she was not just an ordinary civilian, but she also wasn't a kunoichi.

Her name was Kurosaki Ichigo. Her age reached up to three numbers. She had lived and died in her world and had then continued to live as a spirit. She was also a shinigami. Not The Shinigami, like the one that existed as a singularity in this world, but a shinigami, one of the many existing ones in her world. That didn't mean she wasn't special, just that in her world she was not the only one in existence. 

For her this whole situation started around her XXXth birthday. Kisuke, that bastard, wanted to create something especially awe inspiring for her and decided to go all out. She still wasn't sure what exactly he had tried to create, but as soon as it made contact with her and her powers, it started to vibrate like crazy before it exploded in her face. Seconds later, when the smoke cleared, she found herself sitting in the middle of nowhere. She found herself in a clearing surrounded by nothing but trees. 

Everything around her felt surreal, as if there was more and less there than from where she came from. Which was a weird feeling, she could tell you that. Something was different here, as if the very earth was different. She felt a power she had never felt before and it was everywhere. It was in the earth, the trees, the animals, yes even in the very air she breathed. With every breath she took, something seemed to flow into her and tried to settle down, and spread its routs, and with every exhalation it was pushed out again, like it just couldn't fit. 

That didn't seem to deter the power though, because more and more started to gather around her. More and more, till it was visible even to her eyes. She almost felt like she would suffocate if she tried to breath in to much. It entered her soul, tried to take routs and was then pushed out again. This cicle repeated again and again till she was covered in this weird power. Like a second skin it pressed around her, like it was drawn to her, like she was magnetic. Then it hardened around her soul, like a second skin it formed around her like a shell and she felt, more than saw how her soul solidified. 

Which would also mean that even the normal nonsensitive humans would be able to see her from now on. At least the rest of this weird power around her had dispersed onces the shell had formed. The shell the power had formed seemed to function as a sort of barrier between her and the rest of the world. Which sounded kind of sad but was probably very true. Well at least she could see her surroundings again, her unknown surroundings, since she was in the middle of nowhere and unknown. 

Once she was back she was so kicking geta-bōshi ass. A perfect birthday present, he said, nothing can go wrong, he said, this time for sure, he said. Next time he wanted her to test one of his dump inventions she would make sure to force it down his throat so that he would choke on it. 

The rest of the story of how she found herself in Konoha was history. She used her powers to sense the next big population and made sure to walk toward it. The village she arrived at had tall walls and only one gate as far as she could see. The gates were kept in check by two visible guards and a few not so visible ones, who controlled all that came and went. Which meant that she couldn't just walk through it without at least giving a plausible excuse. She decided to go with the truth, or as much truth as she could put into it without sounding too suspicous. 

She told the guards that she was lost and had been seperated from her friends through a series of weird cirumstances, which had also cost her all her belongings. At last she had found herself in a clearing totally alone and with nothing left. She had then wandered in a random directions in hope of finding anything or anyone and had come across their wall. Which she then followed till she arrived here at the gates. 

She didn't try to fake any emotions and kept her scowl on her face like usual, but the guards could still see the obvious confusion and aggravation she felt about her whole situation. 

When ask what her plans from now on where she told them honestly that she would like to settle down in this village, and wait for her friend, which she hoped would be able to find her here. See, she had told no lie. This and the state her and her clothes were in seemed to at least somehow convince the guards that she was telling the truth. 

When ask if she would allow herself to be questioned her answer had been a strong yes. That lead her into some dark cell where she sat across a scarred man named Ibiki.  
In his presence she recounted her story a second time and was then subjected to an insane number of questions. Where they so paranoid that they believed every unknown person that wanted to enter their village to be a psychopath or what? The first hundred question she could somehow understand but after that they became rediculous. 

Like:  
Was she affiliated to any other village? → What did they evn mean by that; was that a question about where she was born or what?  
Did she have any ninja training, or any training at all? → Why was that even a question. Where the hell would she have gotten ninja training from?  
Did she have a kekkei genkai? → What was that even?  
Could she in any way or form use chakra? → Again, what the hell were they talking about?  
And between all these weird questions was a permanently repeated and rephrased question, through which it became her personal favorite:  
Would she be a danger to the village? → Were they hoping she would suddenly go all psychopath on them and try to burn the village to the ground? Why were they so paranoid. The wall the guards even this entire interrogation, what was the meaning to all this?

Well, at the end it took almost two days till she was able to remove herself from that damn cell, which she now hated with passion and would be more than happy to set it on fire. She had spent so much time with Ibiki that she believed that he knew her almost better than she knew herself. Which was scary by the way. 

The scowl that was permanently carved on her face darkened at the thought of that damned cell before it loosened a fraction again. At least she had been able to finally leave it. The hokage (the village leader she had later learned) had even helped her find a small but nice appartement and given her a loan so that she could start a new life in this village. 

The scowl deepened at the thought of all the things she would be forced to do, to be able to continue to live in this village. She would have to find a job. O god, she would have to go job hunting again. The last time in the living world had been a disaster. Well she only needed to survival till Kisuke found her. A sigh worked itself through her lips. Yes lets wait for Kisuke to find her, that was the only plan that she had. Her salvation rested on the shoulder of geta-bōshi, she was doomed. 

A pat on her shoulder reminded her of the presence right next to her. She was sitting next to Ibiki on a bench of a dango-store, having met him while shopping for the first time. When she invited him to a bit of dango he and quiet a few of the armed persons around her had looked at her like she was crazy. Some had even done some quiet impressive mimicing of a dead fish. Her and when Ibiki noticed his lips had slightly switched upwards when they had noticed. 

So now here they were sitting together and enjoying dango, when she had taken a trip down her memory lane.  
„You really aren't shinobi material. I don't have to be a Yamanaka to be able to read your thoughts. Your expressions are really telling.“ Ibiki grinned at her, taking pleasure in her darkening expression she thought. He seemed to love messing with people, which meant that he had chosen his job perfectly.  
„You really love your job don't you?“ She huffed back at him to which he smiled. Yes, he really loved his job, she could tell.  
„I am suprised that you would even meet and talk to me after you spent so much time with me beforehand.“ Ibiki mused curiously. „I know enough people who try to avoid me as much as possible after all is said and done.“ The grin turned into a content albeit small smile.  
„Did it ever work?“ Ichigo couldn't help but ask curiously „them avoiding you I mean?“  
„No, of course not?! But it was nice of them to try.“ That explained the conent smile at least, Ichigo thought. He was happy to be able to use psychological warfare on those pure souls.  
„Anyway“ she said to change the topic „I don't avoid you because I know it would be counter productive. I have met and befriended enough weird and downright crazy or morbid people to know that avoidance just fuels the fire. And anyway, because I know so many weird people with weirder hobbies, sitting next to you almost feels like home. You are an okay guy from my point of view.“

Ibiki looked at her as if she was the crazy one in this friendship before he started laughing out lout. The hiding ones that had been following her (and she had continued to ignore) since she had left the cell started sputtering while the now frightened people around Ibiki took their legs into their hands and escaped while they could. 

„You know what“ Ibiki finally said after calming down „I think i like you“ This statement was finished with a frightening grin before he bid her farewell and left. Which just left Ichigo to continue her shopping for the necessaries. Shopping, what a drag.

____________________  
Sorry for any and all mistakes, I have no correction program!


	2. gaining friends and becoming famous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If there is one thing Ichigo was always good at, it was gaining friends and making enemies.  
> Well, the enemies will come later, first of all she will gain a hell of a lot of friends.

Chapter 2

Konoha's shinobi watched, amused, a bit wary and fully puzzled, as slowly but surely Ichigo's cicle of friends seemed to grow. Building friendships was normally not something to be suprised about, but the friendships that had formed in the last few weeks were.  
For a civilian, Ichigo had made quiet a few unusual and maybe even downright disturbing friends, at least in the eyes of the shinobi.

It had started with Ibiki Morino the commanding officer of the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force. A friendship one would say, that should not have been possible. They believed Ichigo to be too blund, to honest for Ibiki's taste, but here they were, meeting almost weekly at the same dango store to talk and chat. 

Following that, an old but active civilian woman, Imamura Minako. She owned a small café which Ichigo frequented and started to help out for free sometimes. The old woman seemed to be downright taken with Ichigo and even treated her like a granddaughter. That is not to say that Minako didn't have any family left, no, one could even say she had quiet a big family, but somehow Ichigo had wormed herself into the old lady's heart, and Minako wouldn't be letting her go any time soon. 

The next friend came with a recommendation from Ibiki, or Anko at least claimed that at first. She had noticed her superior meeting with an orange haired woman and just had to investigate. That is to say she confronted Ichigo with death threats and a shark like smile, hoping to gain some fun out of it. To say she ended up baffled when Ichigo gave a few of her own was a downright understatement. Ichigo herself only lifted an eyebrow at the following cackles and splitting laughter. That seemed to also seal the deal of this friendship. Anko wouldn't let that fiery woman go anytime soon. Ibiki just had to deal with her presence when meeting his friend from now on. 

Hatake Kakashi had been the next shinobi to have met her coincidentally. They run into each other on the street, where Ichigo seemed to freeze. She had taken one look at him and more specific at his book and decided he was so not worth the trouble of ever meeting. She even went so far as to body-swerve him with a wide arc, a low mutter falling of her lips. Later she realised that she should have just acted like normal, walking past him without looking would have done just nicely, but it was too late. Kakashi noticed her weird behavior and heard her muttering: „I have enough perverts around me, I don't need to know even one more.“  
If there was one thing Kakashi couldn't stand, it was curiousity and Ichigo, to her everlasting horror, had earned his. With that Ichigo gained a stalker and sometimes friend, who quickly learned, to his great amusement, that she reacted in the most amusing ways when seeing his book. 

And once you know Kakashi, Guy just couldn't be avoided. So Ichigo met Guy shortly after. Guy was loud and activ and a whole slew of things Ichigo would have never thought possible, but there he was. A mix of Orihime's activity and the 11th divisions love for sparring and fighting. Guy himself had always noticed how people react to his character, but had chosen to ignore it. Ichigo though, Ichigo was something else. She gave him stares of exageration and fondness, as if his actions were something she had watched often enough to be familiar and even fond of them.

The next friend, or one could say friends, came hand in hand with her new job. It was around one week in when she had decided what she would do regarding her jobless state. She became a Jack-of-all-trades like she had been in her hometown as a teenager. She would take requests and fulfill them to the best of her abilities. She later found out that genins did something similar in their D-ranks, but her experience quickly made her the go to person in the village, when one really needed someone with a bit more knowledge and skills.

This new job gave rise to somehow endearing her to a whole clan. One day a job offer from the Aburame-Clan had come in. Not knowing what they are and not really caring either way, she had gone to their compound and had asked one of the Aburame guards about the specifics.  
Turns out they needed additional help in the kitchen. When Ichigo had shown her skills in the art of cooking (hey, someone had to teach Yusu how to cook, their father being a complete disaster in the kitchen and she could cook thank you very much) it didn't take long and she had the job. Her complete lack of fear for bugs may or may not have helped. As well as the fact that the little buggers seemed to love her. Since then she was greeted by every single Aburame she came across. 

And the list of friends only continued to grow from there. In the short time she had actually existed inside their walls, she had endeared herself to almost half the population, while the other half either didn't know her or found her too honest and too blunt to be likeable. 

There were many theories flying around the village as to why Ichigo had gained so much attention in such a short time. Some thought it was her orange her that drew the attention of everyone around her. Others thought it was her scowl. Those that really knew her and could be counted amount her friends, knew it was her personality. Ichigo just didn't lie. When she found something weird she said so. When she found someones action stupid she also said so, oftentime right into said person's face. If someone asked her a question she just didn't want to answer, she also said so. And if someone was rude, she told that person to fuck off and take care of their own damn buisness. 

In short, nowadays she was, when she went down a busy street, greeted by many, watched by more and ignored or stared at by the rest. Her ninja friends came and disappeared like the wind (if one was to watch out of a civilians perspective) and her civilian friends came and stayed, oftentimes for tea or coffee and a cosy shat. 

It took about two month for the whole village to know her and the rumor mill to have created the most absurd and idiotic reasons for her appearance. Which her civilian friends loved to tell her. 

„Have you heard?“ They told her one time „Some of the villagers believe you to be a princess from a unknown kingdom, from which you needed to flee because your father wished to force you into a marriage that you didn't want. A fleed with your most trusted knight and maybe lover, but on the way you were seperated. Now you are waiting here to be reunited with said knight and life your happily ever after.“

Ichigo almost spewed her drink out in response. Her and Kisuke? She would throw herself off of some kliff bevore she decided he was any boyfriend material at all. She would probably even prefer a monkey over him. The monkey would at least not manage to send her to a whole other world. 

Her friends, watching her reaction, just grinned. „So this rumor is also false. We can cross that off our list. But how about this one...“ and that went on till Ichigo had enough or it became too late. Then they decided to finally free Ichigo from their clutches.

Her ninja friends were not as nice. They decided to appear where and when they wanted. Once Kakashi even appeared in the middle of the night right in her bedroom. He quickly learned that she didn't take too kindly to being woken up at such a ungodly hour and from a man standing in her bedroom adding to that. Till today she still didn't know why or for what he had appeared that night and she probably never would. Kakashi had decided that even the mentioning of said theme was to dangerous to consider. 

When Anko visited her next it was at least daybreak. Anko came in like the dangerous explosion just waiting to happen that she was, used up all her food and left just like that as well.  
She quickly learned that they all seemed to appear and disappear at the drop of a hat. And that they all had more than less weird quirks that were ingrained into their characters. The best way to describe ninjas was to say that they were a very colorfull bunch. 

This fact lead to more than one weird, disturbing or downright ridiculous adventure and she could honestly say that she was at least never bored. 

This would later also lead to, some would say, a fated meeting. It lead her to a too small, too thin child hidding in a back alley, bleeding and sobbing. Near said hiding spot she would also find an angry mob, equipped with weapons of all kinds, looking angry and hurt and scared. And in that moment in time, where Ichigo meet a young lonely child and made her decision, the fate of said child had changed. For the better or for the worse, one will only be able to tell at the end of that child's story, if there is ever an end. 

But that is a story for the next time.


	3. A Ghost?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ichigo's very existence seems to create trouble and questions. Whether the ninja's will ever be able to understand her?

Chapter 3: A Ghost?

„There is nothing, nothing at all!!“ screamed one frustrated ninja at the top off his lungs. 

„What do you mean nothing?“ responded an aged voice to the screamer.

„What I mean is that we searched high and low, far and wide, and the result: NOTHING. She seemed to have appeared out of thin air. No one has ever seen her, no one has ever talked to her and no one knows anything about her.“ He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before continuing.

„If she is a ninja, or a spy, she is a dumb one. Such lack of information would only rouse suspicion. A seasoned ninja and/or spy wouldn't make such elementary mistake, they would at least lay a trail, so it doesn't seem quite as suspicious. But she, she doesn't even seemed to care“ One could visibly observe how his veins began to pulse.

„She talkes about her friends and family, back home, talks about her daily live and when she is in the right mood you can even bring her to tell a complete stranger parts of her live story if he or she asks. It could be that she is lying, but till now she hasn't made a single mistake that would let us assume such. Her words don't contradict each other and the stories sometimes even fit together like puzzle pieces.“

„You don't believe she is lying.“ The aged voice stated. 

„No“ sighed the frustrated ninja „I don't believe she is lying“ 

The aged voice sighed, „Is she a danger?“ He finally asked.

„Not that we are able to tell, at least not more than any other ninja who lives in this village. We weren't able to find any weapons on her or in her belongings. She carries herself like a warrior and when asked explains that she learned self defense in her old village as well as kejutsu from her father and some family friends. She has been scowling nonstop since arriving, but we believe that is more her default expression than any hatred or dissaprovel toward the village.“ He took another deep breath.

„And her chakra?“ The aged voice sounded pensive.

„We used a Hyuuga to check her. The Hyuuga wasn't able to see anything.“ For a split second he hesitated to continue.

„Please clarify“ the other voice prompted. 

„There seemed to be a chakra shield around her whole body that the Hyuuga wasn't able to see trough. Normally I would say that such a shield is impossible, i mean the costs on her chakra reserves alone would be phenomenal. It should be impossible, but it exists. If it was her own chakra that sustained this shield, her reserves would need to compare to one of the tailed beasts, that is if she was using her own chakra reserves, which we found out she isn't.“ Another deep sigh, followed by a serious expression. 

„In the end, the curious thing is, that it isn't her own chakra. The chakra which has gathered around her and created the aforementioned shield is not created by her own chakra, but the chakra from her surroundings. Her body seemed to literally pull chakra toward itself.“ 

„What does this shield entail? Is it dangerous?“ Another sigh, too many questions and too little answers. 

„The shield seems to repel any and all attacks, it's an imprenetable shield. But at the same time it should also have its drawbacks. We believe that she will not be able to do any ninjutsu. Any chakra she would wish to push out of her body would also be blocked by her shield“ a small amused smile

„Not that that would mean much“ The aged voice seemed to agree, a green beast came to mind. 

„And her interactions with the villagers, ninja or otherwise?“

„More ninja's than otherwise“ The other voice muttered.

„She doesn't seem to purposly search them out from what we were able to learn. We couldn't find any motive or suspicous behavior. The only thing which was noticeable was her treatement toward civilians and ninjas.“

„Is it not normal to observe such differences? Ninja's treat civilian different and civilians treat ninjas different after all.“

„Yes, and that was what we found striking. She doesn't seem to differentiate. Ninja or otherwise, she treats them all the same.“ A long pause followed that statement. Then the aged voice took a deep breath before signaling the ninja to leave. 

Alone in his office he took another deep breath, before quietly muttering to himself:

„Who are you, Ichigo?“ 

 

____________  
I apologize for any and all mistakes that I may have made. If there are any noticeable ones, please notify me, so that I can correct them


	4. His Salvation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first meeting between Ichigo and Naruto in Natuo’s view. He is still quite young and living alone in the streets. hoping for a family, even though he doesn’t even really know what a family is.

His life was filled with despair. Dark and hopeless, wishing for something he didn’t know, didn’t understand, only ever saw from a distance. What was that warms, that he never knew? What was this sadness that he always felt. Why did he not have it? Could he not have it? 

He was shunned, for something that he didn’t do, didn’t know of. They hated him, he could see it in their eyes, in their body language. Why? WHY?

Whywhywhywhyhwhy???

Why? While others had that warms, why was he alone? Why was there no one by his side, even though he always saw others, together, holding hands, laughing, smiling. Why could he not have that as well?

Maybe if he smiled some more, smiled like all the others, someone would come and hold his hands as well? Maybe he just wasn’t trying hard enough. Surely someone would acknowledge him, if he just tried a little harder.

„Here!! Look at me!“ He wanted to shout „See?! I am smiling, I am happy! Will you not come and hold my hand?“ 

Desperate he tried to smile, smile so big that his cheeks hurt, that it seems to even cover half his face. Day after day, every time someone walked past him, every time someone looked at him, he would smile. Smile even when he wanted to scream, to shout, to cry. Smile even while he was hungry and thirsty and hurt. Smile, till he could do nothing else, having forgotten how to stop. 

Surely, surely, he was trying hard enough, surely someone would come now, give him the warms that he only ever saw but never experienced. PLEASE! Please! Pllllleeeeeaaaaassssssse?? 

He lifted his hands in the hope that someone would take it and looked around. There was no one. Even thought he was smiling (he was still smiling, wasn’t he??) even thought he had lifted his hand, there was no one. Only hate filled stares and angry mutterings. 

Maybe, maybe he was doing it wrong? Maybe he wasn’t smiling right? Was he doing it wrong? Or it wasn’t the smile?! Did he need to do something else? Was there something else he needed to do before someone would hold his hand?

The others were running around, playing with each other. Maybe he just needed to join them? If he acted the same as everyone else nothing could go wrong, right?

He tried to approach the others, those that were just as big as him. They were throwing a ball to each other. One missed the ball and it came flying to him. He squatted down to lift it, a hopeful shimmer in his eyes. Now he could play, right?

He lifted his eyes from the ball to look around and that shimmer, that hope died. There were bigger people now, not as small as him and they were taking the hands of the smaller ones, leading them away from him.

„Demon“ one of the bigger people muttered,

„don’t you dare come near my child“ hissed another

„be gone!“ shouted the third.

What was a demon? Why were they always calling him that? Was that his name? Names, he still didn’t know what those really were, but they seemed to be important. They were words that people used to call each other, to get each others attention. 

They always called him demon, but never seemed to want his attention. Maybe that was something that people called each other when they didn’t want the attention. But why would they always call only him demon? Why was it only him that was treated so badly? 

His stomach growled, he was so hungry. Where could he find something to eat, he wondered. The bin he was at last time had been almost empty and the one before that had been almost full, but someone had come and chased him off. 

Maybe he could go to Teuchi-oji! He could get a bowl of ramen! Ramen were warm and always smelled nice. They didn’t even give him stomach aches. They were perfect, no, they were the foods of gods!!! And Teuchi-oji was always so nice!

But everyone else always avoided his place when he was there and then the nice oji-san frowned. He didn’t like it when the other frowned. 

He could still hold on. He finally decided with a heavy heart. He could, so the nice oji-san could smile. He would surely find something to fill his stomach somewhere. Even if it wasn’t warm, even though it was almost always smelly and yucky and ended up hurting his stomach. He could. 

He wanted to eat ramen.

So, he wandered through the streets, always hungry, always alone. He didn’t know for how long he had done so, only that he remembered almost nothing else. Almost like he had always been here, alone, wandering the streets. Had it been days, month or years? He didn’t know, he only knew that it had been a long time. A long time without warms, a long time filled with coldness and darkness and pain. 

Sometimes there were festivals. At first he had thought that the lanterns were really pretty, how they glowed in all those different colours. At that time everyone was laughing and dancing. He had tried to join it, but he had soon learned that this festival seemed to be for everyone, expect him.

As soon as he had entered the first person’s sight, they had started to scream and even throw things at him. And then…and then he had run, scared and desperate and so very very confused. Why was he not allowed to join? Everyone else had been there, right? Only him, always only him, only he was never allowed to join. 

He had cried that day, hiding in some alleyway, where no one could see him. Cried and screamed and sobbed his misery. After that he had avoided the pretty lanterns and the happy people and forced himself to forget. He would forget his misery, he would forget his sadness and his loneliness, forget till it didn’t hurt anymore. He needed to smile, smile and lift his hand, because surely, surely there was someone out there who would someday finally notice him, acknowledge him and finally someone who would hold his hand. 

The hate filled stares didn’t hurt, the angry mutterings also didn’t hurt. The loneliness and the darkness didn’t hurt. He was happy, happy and smiling. 

At least till that day. The pretty lanterns had appeared again and this time he had noticed too late. The happy and dancing people didn’t look so happy anymore. They started to shout and throw things at him again and this time, when he tried to escape, they had followed him. They managed to corner him, surround him from all sides. 

Then the first one pulled back his arm, balled his hand into a fist and punched him in the face. For a second he could see only stars while he fell to the ground and landed in the dirt. Before he managed to rise or even regained his vision he felt how he was kicked in the stomach, forcing him to choke and heave the little bit that he had managed to eat. 

It hurt. IT HURT!

“Please” he pleaded, for what, he didn’t know

“Please” someone, anyone, save me!

“Please” don’t leave me, don’t abandon me, don’t let me be alone

“Please” hold my hand, smile and laugh with me

“Please” give me the warms that I could always see but never get

“PLEASE SAVE ME” He screamed. It was a plea from the bottom off his heart. A plea for salvation. 

The jeering and shouts and punches and hits had stopped. Everything was quiet. Nothing happened.

“As if someone would come to rescue you, demon” one man could not help but mock, before he lifted his hands to inflict more damage, believing that the demon had not suffered enough.

That fist was stopped by a hand that gripped his arm with a crushing force. 

“Oh, and what exactly do you all thing you are doing to a small child?” A voice suddenly asked, sounding dark and angry, like the calm before the storm, announcing pain for all that stood in its way.

“We are taking care of the demon” One brave and foolish voice spat.

“The arm that was still in the grip of the first voice was almost crushed, forcing the owner of said arm to scream. 

“You are hitting and kicking a small child and you believe you can excuse your action by telling me that the child is a demon” The sound of grinding teeth could be clearly heard. 

“That’s not a child, that’s a demon” Another shouted. Foolishly believing that he was save. The stone that hit him right in the face soon proved different. That person went down and didn’t stand up again. 

“Does someone else want to add his own two cents?” 

“You can’t just do that?!” One shouted shocked and bewildered. 

“I can and I will” answered the first voice without a hint of hesitation. “I thought that this was a friendly village, a peaceful village, yes, I even thought that this was a truly beautiful village. And then I found a mob, attacking a small child, excusing their own hateful and cruel actions behind accusations toward the child. Calling said child a demon. Who are the demons, I wonder?” 

“I will only say this once so listen well”

“You will move away from the child right this instant, and woe is me, should I ever see you near this child with such intention ever again, you will bitterly regret it, am I UNDERSTOOD!!” the voice was thundering, commanding all to listen and obey. 

The child heard more than saw how the crowd shuffled away obeying the voice that had come to his rescue. Then he felt hands on his back and face, not hurting, but helping, spreading their warms. Then he was lifted, into a strong and warm embrace.

“You are going to be okay” the voice promised “don’t worry, I will protect you, so that no one may hurt you again” It was a promise, a promise of a lifetime.

The voice was so very very warm and pretty, beautiful like the chimes he sometimes heard. He tried to focus, but his vision still swam. The colours still wouldn’t stop moving, but one colour was the most prominent, the most beautiful. Even more beautiful than the lanterns, glowing like the morning sun, glowing bright orange. What a pretty colour, so beautiful and so very very warm.

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I hope you enjoyed


	5. her Anger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A promise of a lifetime  
> She would protect him no matter what

The scowl, the burning orange hair, the sunrise in the back, glowing orange, red and yellow, she looked radiant, beautiful. A wrathful goddess of war coming down from the heavens to punish all those that incurred her wrath.

 

Her very being seem to radiate power and purpose, her movement were graceful yet commanding, compelling the crowd to part.

 

In her grasp was a small child, who could not be older than four. Her arms embraced him tenderly, protectively, looking like a mother protecting her child, standing against all odds, even if the enemy happens to be the rest of the world.

 

Her strong and purposeful steps took her toward the hospital, taking no detours, letting nothing stand in her way.

 

The child in her arms was known, recognized by all, but no one had the courage to stop her, to stand in her way. They parted, opening a path that would let her move forward, no hindrances in her way.

 

At that time, no one knew, no one would ever understand, but right there, right then, was the beginning. The beginning of a new story, the beginning of change. It would not just affect the child, but also the civilians, the shinobi, the village and everything beyond would slowly but surely be influenced by it.

 

This change would spread, would take roots and someday prosper, affected everything around it. She was the turning point, her determination and her heartfelt promise to protect the suffering and lonely child was the fork that would be the difference to the future that many believed to be already set in stone.

 

The promise of a lifetime.

 

“That thing won’t be treated here!” One of the doctors said with contempt. He was rewarded with the most acidic eyes that he had ever seen.

 

“You are a doctor, you have sworn an oath to help all those in need and you want to tell me right here, right now, that you won’t help a wounded child who has great need for your aid?!” Her eyes seemed to glow in an unsettling yellow colour.

 

“That thing is not a child!” The doctor tried to show a strong front, though he seemed to sweat quite a bit.

 

“Oh, so you refuse to help on the basis that you are not only incompetent, but blind as well. Blind and dumb, what a perfect combination. Where in this hospital can I find a competent doctor?” She didn’t scream, didn’t even get loud, but her message was oh so clear. The doctor sputtered and continued to do so for an indefinite among of time since she decided two seconds after her comment that he just wasn’t worth her time and she really needed to find a real doctor.

 

“That was quite harsh, don’t you think?” Kakashi stood to her right, having, like most ninjas, appeared out of nowhere, reading the book that she would never ever touch.

 

“He’s an imbecile. I am just calling him what he is. Not treating an injured child that is suffering right in front of him and even calling him a thing. That I won’t forgive.” The next time she saw him he should be prepared to suffer.

 

Kakashi stayed quiet, looking at her with a glow in his eye that she didn’t understand and wouldn’t be able to describe. Should she ask? No, better she ignored whatever it was.

 

“Excuse me, may I help you?” A woman’s voice resounded from her left. It was a nurse looking at them sceptically.

 

“Yes, this child needs a doctor.” Ichigo carefully watched how the nurse reacted toward the boy. She needed to be careful, not only had the crowd attacked him, but on her way, there had been many more hateful stares toward him. Not to mention the doctor that acted way out of order.

 

Thankfully the nurse only looked angry, not at the boy, but at his wounds.

 

“Yes, please follow me. I will lead you to the next available doctor” She turned, leading them to one of the hospital rooms, before leaving them there to get a doctor.

 

“What happened?” Kakashi finally asked, sounding curious but also outraged.

 

“I was enjoying the festival when I heard a commotion. At first I thought nothing of it, I mean, commotions aren’t so rare on festivals after all. Then I heard a scream, a child crying for help. Kakashi, that scream sounded hurt and desperate, like they were torturing him. I ran toward the scream and pushed through the crowd and do you know what I see?? I see a crowd of grownups hitting and kicking a child. A child that is barely four years old. I see how he screams for help and no one steps in…I couldn’t watch, couldn’t let it continue, won’t let it continue.”

 

Kakashi could hear the promise in her words. She looked like a wolf protecting her young, showing her teeth to all those that intended harm.

 

“Do you know why this whole village seemed to be out to get the him?” She asked him while she carefully stroked his hair.

 

Kakashi nodded, but said nothing else.

 

“What do you plan to do from now on?” He finally asked when she didn’t continue to question him further.

 

“He is an orphan is he not? If so, I plan to adopt him. I won’t leave him to those wolves again.” She said it so decisive, no hesitation at all.

 

“Adopt?” Kakashi couldn’t keep the shock out of his voice “are you sure?”

 

“Yes, there is no other way that would let me protect him to the best of my abilities. Right now, many would say that his situation is none of my business. That just means that I have to make it my business and there is no better way than to adopt him”

 

“In that case won’t you adopt every kid from the street?” He asked, finding the situation quite droll.

 

“If I have to” the look in her eyes scared him. Where would you find someone that would declare her intention in such a burning hot headed way. His knowledge of her didn’t make her statement any easier to digest. He knew that she would carry through with all her actions and promises, however hard or impossible those may appear to be.

 

His following statement was swallowed when the doctor entered the room. He took one look at Naruto’s condition before decided that he would have to do a bit more than just bandage the wounds and throw Kakashi and Ichigo out of the room.

 

“What about your family? Didn’t you want to go home as soon as your companion finally found you?” He couldn’t help but ask. There were many that had befriended the orange hothead and many didn’t want her to leave.

 

“As long as the kid needs me I will stay. My family and friends will understand.” Ichigo looked out of the toward the ceiling. She couldn’t let the child suffer, it just wasn’t in her nature.

 

Somehow it felt weird. Even though she knew almost nothing, even though she had only meet the kid today, she hadn’t even spoken to him once, she still had this extreme desire to protect him. Like a connection that had suddenly been established. Maybe it was a red string of fate.

 

Fate? ...it reminded her of something? Her memories seemed to suddenly flash back. She stood in a void, before her stood someone, what did he look like again? He told her something about fate, of a prophecy and…a child? What was this memory?

 

“Ichigo, are you alright?” Kakashi asked worried, she had just suddenly zoned out. At his words, she seemed to shake herself, focusing again, coming back from wherever she had been.

 

“Yes, I was just…” What was it again. She tried to remember. What was it she was trying to remember? Ah yes, Kakashi had asked her how her family would react.

 

“Sorry, I was just thinking of my family. If they knew what was going on, they would support my decision one hundred percent. I am sure of it. And it’s not like I will be separated from them indefinitely. They and I can always visit each other anyway.”   

 

“Are you sure? You seemed a bit absent minded.”

 

“I just miss my family and friends I suppose.”

 

“Ma, ma, it’s not like you have no friends here.”

 

“you are right, I would also miss you all when I go back home”

 

He gave her an eye smile for that, which she saw as a win. Now she just needed for the kid to recover and of course ask him if he even wants to be adopted. As well as somehow adopt him.

 

Well at least that part of her plan shouldn’t be so hard. I mean, why would they refuse her?

 

In the deepest part of her subconscious a deep voice resounded ‘ ** _protect him_** ’.

 

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Hope you enjoyed


	6. Adopt?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ichigo makes it her problem

Her friends always told her that she would someday regret her hot-headedness, that she would land in a situation where her spontaneity would get her into a lot of trouble. They were right of course. Oftentimes she did get in trouble, but oftentimes she also managed to solve it on her own. This time there would be no solving, the problems was there to stay and knowing what the problem was she wouldn’t have it any other way. 

“How are you feeling? Better?” She asked the child gently. He had just woken up.

“Yeah” the child was throwing her confused glances, as if he wasn’t quite sure what to make out of her still being with him. Or maybe he was still confused and didn’t remember what had happened. 

“We met last night at the festival. I gave you a promise if you remember and I intend to keep my promise. As long as you need me as long as you wish for me to be there, I will stay at you side and protect you, love you and fight for anything you think is worth fighting for.”

His eyes had slowly but steadily grown, focusing on her mouth on her words. He was listening but probably not really understanding the meaning behind her words. 

“My name is Kurosaki Ichigo and I swore that I would love and protect you till the end. I intend to adopt you so that you and I may be family.”

His mouth was hanging open “me?” he whispered with a heart-breaking confusion. “You want to adopt me?” He repeted himself, still as quietly as before. 

“Yes” Ichigo put all her sincerity and resolution into that one word.  
“Would you let me, would you want to become part of my family and me part of yours?” She asked him for permission. 

He seemed lost for words, his mouth was moving but no words seemed to manage to escape. His breathing quickened at an alarming rate and Ichigo was worried that maybe she had said too much too quickly when he finally answered. 

“Yes, yes, yes, please, yes, yes, please‼” He almost shouted while he threw himself at her. She caught him in a hug, soothingly caressing his back as he began to cry. She had probably emotionally manipulated a four-year-old child just then, with words such as protect, love and family and someone would have surely used the situation for his own benefits, but someone was not her and she had promised and sworn and would rather kill herself than break her word. 

Behind her stood someone, watching the situation but not making any move. She ignored him, she had better things to do.

“What is your name, Sunshine?” Ichigo finally decided to ask after having calmed the child down and the rivers of tears turned into small droplets. 

“Naruto” his muffled voice resounded from her shoulder. “Or demon, or fox, or monster, or…, or…” His tears started to fall again. The person behind her tensed, but made no indication to attack. 

“Ssshhh” She tried to calm him again and distract herself, lest she finds the idiots and bastards that had the gall to call a small child such names. “Ssshhhh” “those are not your names now isn’t that right Naruto” she hoped that his parents hadn’t been dumb enough to name him after a Ramen topping rather than using the meaning ‘whirlpool’.  
“And isn’t Naruto a fantastic name?! You my little Sunshine are named after a powerful whirlpool. You should be proud!” She smiled at him hoping to calm his nerves and her anger. 

“Ahem” the person that had positioned himself behind her finally made himself known. Naruto’s head shot up, staring at the other person inside the room.

“Grandpa!” Naruto mood seemed to switch from depressed to happy. “Look Grandpa, look” he shrieked right next to her ear. “Look, this is Ichi…Ichisomething and she wants to adopt me, she wants to be my family. Look, look‼!”

He had forgotten her name, great, well he would learn it with time. Having kneed beside the bed the whole time with Naruto in her arms, Ichigo decided that now was as good time as any to stand up and turn around. As Naruto was reluctant to let her go any time soon she was ‘forced’ to stand up while holding on to him. 

The person opposite to her was an old man with white hair and a white beard, wearing a big white and red had, red clothes and a white jacket and holding a pipe in his right hand. 

“Yes, Naruto I happened to be here when she told you her intention and I hope that my hearing has not deteriorated enough that I misheard what she said.”

“Grandpa?” Ichigo asked quietly with raised eyebrows. She had thought that Naruto was an orphan as no one had come to his rescue when he had been attacked, as well as the facts that he was malnourished and wore old and torn clothes. Her scowl returned. Even if that man was Naruto’s grandpa, after what she had seen, he had no right to claim Naruto.

He must have noticed her scowling at him while she had instinctively used her body to shift Naruto away from him as his grandfatherly smile slowly transformed into a grimace instead.

“I am going to adopt Naruto” Ichigo clearly stated her intention, her eyes flashing with resolve.

“Yes” the old man said slowly, as if tasting the word or maybe her words.

“Yes, I do believe you will” he gazed into her eyes searching for something, reassurance maybe. 

“It will not be easy” the old man stated plainly, as if he thought that she didn’t know that what she was doing would be fraught with peril.

“The worthwhile things never are” She could also play cryptic if she wanted too. Two could play that came. 

“Yes, I do believe you are right” It looked like he had found whatever he had been searching for, because his grandfatherly smile came back this time with full force. The skin around his eyes seemed to wrinkle with approval and happiness. 

Naruto, who had stayed silent while the confusing conversation had been going on decided that the talk had concluded became active again. Ichigo had the hunch that Naruto would not be as quiet and calm as Yuzu and Karin had been, ever. 

Well as one would say, at least it would probably never get boring.  
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Well it may be short, but I hope you all still enjoyed it.  
You will probably find a lot of mistakes as English isn’t my first language. I would be grateful if you could help me correct them.


	7. Protective Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The council is fighting while Ichigo takes Naruto to a restaurant and ends up taking care of the garbage

„We cannot allow this to happen” a thundering voice echoed through the room. “That woman is a total unknown, not to mention that she hasn’t even lived in our village for a year. Her influence on our jinchuuriki could have devastating consequences! Think about the security of the village Hokage”

“Do not speak about Lady Kurosaki that way‼ Since her arrival she has been nothing but helpful and has contributed to the betterment of the village in a great many ways.”

“We all know that you know her, don’t let your emotion cloud your rational mind”

“What do you know of a rational mind, were you not the one that started to shout right from the beginning of this discussion?”

“I think that the idea has merits, the boy was attacked inside the village by civilians and even a few shinobi. If something doesn’t change, he will come to hate this village.”

“It’s the duty of the police force to take care of such crimes. Where were the Uchiha patrol when it happened?”

“Despite what some may think, we cannot be everywhere at once councillor. And if we try to blame someone for this transgression then I wish to ask how so many villagers even know about the boys jinchuuriki status when it is a supposed S-rank secret?”

“Hmm, trying to distract us from your incompetence, are we? We all know that you Ushihas were the cause of all the misery in the first place! If you hadn’t summoned the…”

He didn’t manage to talk any further because of the sudden spike of killing intent that had flooded the chamber. 

“I would be very carefully of what you wish to accuse my clan of!” The voice uttered with a calm that belied the ever-growing threat behind it. The room fell into an uncomfortable quiet. 

“Ahem” an old but strong voice destroyed the silence “We did not gather her today to unearth old accusations and feelings, we gathered here today to discuss if we should allow Kurosaki Ichigo to adopt the jinchuuriki or not, so let us return to the topic.”

“I say we allow Kurosaki Ichigo to adopt the boy. She has proven to be loyal to the people of this village again and again and has not done anything to prove anyone otherwise.”

“No, we cannot allow….” And the cycle began anew.

Sarutobi was glad that Kurosaki-san had not been allowed to attend this meeting. He had a feeling that she would have told all the naysayers where they could stick their concern. They probably wouldn’t have taken kindly to her. 

Not only would it not have helped the situation at all, it may have even been detrimental. He also had the feeling that almost half of the today assembled would, if asked, take her side and defend it with all their might, even at the cause of a civil war.

‘They would go through thick and thin for her, even though they have known her for barely a year, because she would do the same for them’ That was the feeling Sarutobi got when watching the people that were fighting for Ichigo’s right to adopt Naruto. In that way Ichigo was a dangerous individual. 

She was a person that managed to gather royal friends and dearest enemies without much effort, just by being who she was. Should she ever truly wish to turn her back to the village, Sarutobi didn’t wish to know how many of his loyal shinobis wouldn’t help or even leave with her. 

____________________ 

Ichigo on the other hand didn’t have it in her to care what the old imbeciles were nattering about while at the council. She had higher priorities. Like taking care of an active child, no he was her active child now wasn’t he. Naruto still needed to rest to heal but he was much to active for his own good. At first, she had distracted him with stories of princes and dragons, then stories of wizards and later on even stories of the Shinigami (she had learned that the Shinigami singular was also a presence that existed in this world, but till now she had not been able to contact him). But alas, bet rest seemed to be a foreign world to her small and undernourished child. He seemed to almost literally vibrate from his bed with the energy that could be said to be supernatural. 

“Come her Naruto” Ichigo finally gave up and opened her arms with an invitation to hug. It was painful to watch as it took Naruto almost a full minute to understand what her gesture meant before he tackled her with an underlying happiness of a boy that had never received nearly enough. 

She pressed a kiss to his forehead and asked “Well I am hungry and if I my hearing hasn’t diminished I believe your stomach agrees. What do you think? Shall we go out and eat?”

Naruto gave her in incomprehensible and scrunched up look before his face lightened up. “Hungry!” He shouted with glee.

Adjusting her grip on him, Ichigo stood up and turned to leave the hospital room. Opening the door, she waved at the guards and with a “we are leaving to go out to eat, come with us or get left behind” left the hospital just like that. The guards seem to be surprised with how casual she acted toward them, but quickly recovered and followed them, concealed and well-hidden as they were wont to do. 

Both guards were wearing white masks, formed to resemble animal faces and had not talked one word since standing guard outside the hospital room. Ichigo didn’t know what they were guarding against and what they were protecting, her or the villagers, and she didn’t really care either way. As long as they didn’t hurt her child or anyone else important to her she would stay civil. 

She turned around the corner and marched to her favoured restaurant, ignoring all the whispers around her and distracting Naruto so he would do the same. 

“Hello” she greeted her acquaintances which seem to make it a habit to gather in this very restaurant and slipped into a booth, seating Naruto right beside her. The waiter arrived with the menu shortly afterwards. He took one look at Naruto and then a quick look at her, before deciding to not care and ask both if they wished to order their drinks beforehand. Good for him, he had known Ichigo long enough that he knew that any commend would have been detrimental for him. 

Others were not as intelligent. They had ordered and received their drinks and had even managed to order their meals when the first idiot arrived. He entered the restaurant and taking one look at Naruto opened his moth without any form of self-control. 

Striding toward their booth without noticing or caring that Ichigo was sitting right next to him (the people of this village really didn’t seem to have any survival instincts). 

“The standards of this restaurant seem to have gone down that they allow even that to dine here. Who let that thing in here to eat? This food is wasted on it and anyway, it can’t possible have the money to pay. Let me help you and throw it out.” The waiter who had noticed the man was already coming over to stop the man, alas it was to late. 

Standing at their booth, he had the nerve and reach for her boy, wanting to touch him with his filthy hands. Her hands snapped out and gripped his wrist, crushing it with scant an effort. Her eyes blazed blue and the air around her seem to pulse, as if the chakra itself had been agitated.

“Listen here you swine, if you speak, or god forbit try to touch my son ever again, I will make sure that even the Shinigami won’t be able to salvage what is left of your body or your soul. Do you understand‼!”

Many may say that Ichigo scowled all the time, but they had never truly seen her angry. Nothing could compare to that. 

The man looked into her eyes and so his death. Frozen in shock, his knees weakened, and he slumped to the ground, emptying his blabber in the process. Ichigo looked at him in disdain before turning back to Naruto, trying to gauge his reaction and emotional state, worrying that that swine may have caused him to recall unpleasant memories. 

Against all expectation, she didn’t seem to have worried as Naruto was looking up to her in awe and something akin to worship. 

“…” He whispered something to quiet to hear before a smile broke out on his face and he began to cry. “You called me your son” He repeated himself again and again brawling for all that he was worth.

Ichigo gathered him into her arms “Of course” she whispered reassuringly “and as long as you will have me I will be there, so don’t worry”.

As the waiters had thrown out the garbage that had continued to stink up its surrounding and cleaned up the floor that the garbage had ruined with its body fluids the rest of the meal continued in peace. If that had anything to do with the quickly spreading rumour that ‘The Dawn’ (a stupid nickname that some off the villagers started to call her by) had adopted the jinchuuriki and would do anything to protect him then even better. Some rumours even stated that the last man that had tried had ended up at the hospital with all four of his limbs missing. 

Well, she wouldn’t explicit deny if someone were to ask.  
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Enjoy


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